The present invention was first described in Disclosure Document Registration 502,393 filed on Dec. 17, 2001 under 35 U.S.C. xc2xa7122 and 37 C.F.R. xc2xa71.14. There are no previously filed, nor currently any co-pending applications, anywhere in the world.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to beekeeping housings and, more particularly, to a vented bee hive cover.
2. Description of the Related Art
The art, hobby and career of beekeeping is one that is enjoyed by many people worldwide. Not only is it a passive and tranquil occupation, it also produces honey and honeycomb which can be an income producing source. While the bees themselves are mostly self-sufficient, they do require some assistance for optimum honey production, especially in the area of man-made hive construction. While improvements over many years have enabled these man-made hives to be almost perfect at providing a suitable habit for the bee, while allowing an easy honey harvest, they are not very good at keeping the bees cool in a hot climate. Some attempts at using electric powered forced air fans have met with some success, but the outside environment quickly takes its toll on the mechanical and electrical components. Also, the electricity to power the fans eats into profits.
A search of the prior art did not disclose any patents that read directly on the claims of the instant invention; however, the following references were considered related.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,741,170 issued in the name of Orletsky et al., describes a hive system for housing a plurality of bee colonies.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,981,458 issued in the name of Johnston, describes a hive complex which maintains multiple clusters of bees.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,663,791 issued in the name of Nishi, describes an artificial honeycomb.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,300,250 issued in the name of Taylor, describes a beehive which features passive solar heating, the venting of moisture, wind protected bee entrances.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,135,265 issued in the name of Van De Kerkof, describes a beehive having internal vents to permit airflow between the first and second space.
U.S. Pat. No. 211,779 issued in the name of Pitts, describes a new and useful beehive.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,408,668 issued in the name of Paoletti, describes a beehive with quick access ways from the bottom to the honey.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,447,713 issued in the name of David, beehive that will house two bee colonies
Consequently, there is a need for a means by which bee hives can be kept cool using a passive device without any of the disadvantages as discussed above.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved beekeeping housing.
It is a feature of the present invention to provide an improved bee hive having an integral ventilation means.
Briefly described according to one embodiment of the present invention, the Vented Bee Hive Cover is a screened cover for a beehive. It is used to keep bee hives cool in hot weather, thus improving honey production. It is designed to completely cover the hive yet allow for complete natural ventilation and cooling. In addition to natural cooling, the beating of the wings on the bees aids in air movement and thus allows even more cooling power, through the use of the invention. The cover is made in a box configuration using wood and plywood components, aluminum screening, aluminum covers and corner guards. Its high-quality construction will last for years with no maintenance or operating costs.
The use of the vented bee hive cover allows bees in hot climates to remain cooler, thus increasing honey and honey comb production in a manner which is simple, effective and cost efficient.